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Perkins set for NZ V8s

Dean Perkins and Andrew Porter finished fifth in last weekend’s six-hour endurance race at Pukekohe, but Perkins feels that with a little luck their NZ V8 Ford Falcon could have gained them a podium position.

“The six hour race is one of my favourite events, and we were running second at one point but had a problem with the wheel studs and dropped back to fifth [overall] and third in class,” said Perkins.

“We underestimated the number of tyre changes required, but I was really impressed with Andrew – he really put in a couple of blinders.”

The pair raced Perkins older GT Radials Falcon, which now serves also as the team’s ride car. Perkins’ newer NZ V8 is now stripped down and being prepared for next season’s championship.

Perkins said he believes that the GT Radials team will run only one car next season and that Inky Tulloch will run his car separately.

Perkins says that although the proposed Motorsport New Zealand endurance races for NZ V8s didn’t attract enough entries to run this winter, with more time for the teams to organise, a winter endurance series could prosper.

“There were definitely a lot of people who wanted to do it, but they needed more notice to fit in with their programmes.”

Perkins says he was a little disappointed with his own results last season. Although he has finished in the top 10 in each of the five years he has contested the NZ V8 championship, he felt that a top five placing last season was possible if it hadn’t been for some engine problems and some “knocks” at Teretonga and Taupo.